General Introduction
1. Philosophies of Composition: From `Corsino' to the `Code des gens honnêttes', 1818-1825
2. From Code to Physiologie, 1826-1829
3. The First Scenes de la vie privée, 1829-1830
4. Narratives and Newspapers, 1829-1830
5. Balzac and the Literary Reviews, October 1830 - August 1831
6. From la Peau de chagrin to the Contes drolatiques, 1831-1832
7. Balzac, Roi de la Nouvelle: from the `Contes bruns' To `Le Curé de Tours' (1832)
8. Another Destiny? From `Louis Lambert' to `Le Père Goriot', September 1832 - March 1835
9. Building the Cathedral, 1835-1838
10. Relative Values, 1838-1839
11. Roi des romanciers? Scenes, Satires, and Serials, 1839-1840
12. Towards the Comédie, 1840-1841
13. La Grrrrrrande Comédie, 1842-1845
14. Constellations and Supernovellas: `Nouvelle' And Novel, 1841-1844
Conclusion; Balzac's Shorter Fictions
Bibliography
Index